Oven door construction



Feb. 5, 1946. E. D. HILLEBRAND 2,394,375

` ovEN D ooR CONSTRUCTION Filed June 14, 1944 Earlg@ M, f@ A Patented Feb. 5, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OVENVDOOB CONSTRUCTION Earl D; Hillebrand, Kankakee, Ill., assigner to HFlorence Stove'Company, Gardner, Mass., a

corporation of Massachusetts Application June 14, 1944, Serial No. 540,277 v 13 Claims.

The invention relates to oven doors for domestic cook stoves or ranges and more particularly to oven doors of the type providedpwith windows.

Oven doors of the above general character commonly have double glazed Windows, with the window panels suitably spaced apart so that the outer panel does not become too hot. when the oven is in operation. In ordinary cook stoves, various considerations, such as increased costs,

make it impractical to completely seal the space between the glass panels against the entry of hot gases from the oven. Thus gases leakinginto the door structure tend to condense on the inner surfaces of the panels, especially during the preheating of the oven. As the oven approaches normal baking temperature, the condensation evaporates and leaves a thin lm deposited on the inner surface of each panel, and,if.such films are not removed frequently, the panelseventually become discolored and visibility therethrough is materially reduced. With oven doors as heretofore constructed, access to the inner surfaces of the window panels can be'had only by disassembling the door structure or'by removal of retaining means such as screws. Proper cleaning of the panelsA is thus a diiiicult and time-consuming operation.

With the foregoing in view, one object of the invention is to provide a double glazed oven door having improved retaining means for holding the glass panels in place and which permits removal of one of the panels without disassembly of the door structure and without the use of anytools whatever, thus greatlywfacilitating the cleaning of the panels. f

A more specic object is to provide a double glazed oven door constructed in a novel manner to permit one of the window panels to be disengaged from the supporting framework by simple edgewise sliding movement so that the panel can be completely removed from' the` door structure for cleaning purposes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing inwhich:

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view of an oven door embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View through the door at one side of the window; Y

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the door. Y

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I...

have shown in the drawing and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specic form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

The improved door is constructed in the form of a rigid frame with a central aperture providing a window through whiclr the interior of the l oven can be viewed. Preferably, the window opening is double glazed, thatisQit is tted with the frame structure comprises generally an outer or face member 5 and an inner or liner member 6, both in the form of sheet metal stampings. The members 5 and 6 are formed around their respective peripheral edges with interfitting anges 1 and 8 which serve to locate them in predetermined spaced relation and which may be secured in assembled relation by spot welding or the like. A reinforcing or stiffening member 9, also in the form of a sheet metal stamping, is installed between the inner and outer door members to impart strength and rigidity to the door structure. In the particular door shown, the

member 9 is formed with a rearwardly and out- Wardly turned flange I0 adapted to abut against the inner member S and to be secured thereto in any suitable'manner.. The space between the member 9 and the outer member 5 may be lled with insulating material to prevent excessive heating of the outer door member when the oven is in use. A conventional handle Il is provided for opening and closingk the door.

To provide the window through which the interior of the oven may be viewed when the door is closed, the frame members 5 and-S and the stiffening member 9 are formed with generally rectangular openings arranged 'substantially in alignment. The window thus formed is fitted with front` and back panels l5 and IB of glass or other suitable transparent material.

l. In accordance with the present invention, the

inner and outer members and 6 of the door are constructed and arranged to provide novel retaining means adapted to hold the panels I5 and I6 in registration with the openings in the inner and outer frame members so as to seal off f In the preferred form of the doorstructure,-

the panels I5 and I6 are supported by a generally rectangular shell located betweenLthe inner and outer members 5 and 6 and are held in position by said shell in cooperation with retaining means formed on the frame members. As herein shown,

the shell comprises a bottom member 29, a top member 2| `and side members 22. To form the 'bottom member 20, a section of the reinforcing member 9 adjacent the lower edge of the window opening therein is bent forwardly as Yat 23 and then rearwardly to define a horizontal shelf or ledge. upon which the lower edges of the glass panels I5 and I6 are adapted to rest. The top member 2| is shaped similarly to the bottom member but is terminated outwardly of the plane of the inner panel I6 for reasons to be described presently;

' Side members 22 are preferably formed as separate strips having longitudinal flanges 24 secured to the reinforcing member 9 as by spot welding. Inwardly bent tabs 25 at opposite ends of each member extend over and are spot welded to the bottom and top members 20 and 2|. A plurality of lugs 2B struck 'out from the side members adjacent their forward edges serve as stops for the outerwindOw panel I5.

The retaining means for holding the outer glass panel |5 in assembledrelation in thedoor structure is preferably in the form of an inwardly turned flange 28 extending entirely around the window opening in the outer frame member 5.

In order to enable the flange 28 to perform its retaining function, the window opening in the member 5 is made somewhat smaller than the panel I5. Thus by proper location of the supporting shell, the panel I5 may be held in a posi-Y vtion to engage the flange 28 at all four edges of the window opening.

To provide for convenient removability of the inner glass panel I6, the window opening inthe inner frame member 6 is provided with retaining means engageable only with two oppositely dis` posed marginal edge portions of the panel. Preferably, the retaining means is arranged for cooperation with the upper and lower edge portions of the panel I6 and, to this end, the height of the window opening in the inner frame member 6 is made slightly less than the correspondingdimension of the panel IB and the upper and lower edges are formed with forwardly turned retaining flanges 29.

In order to leave the side edges of the panel IE free, the window opening in the inner member B is made slightly wider than the panel. The side edges of the window opening are, in this instance, formed with forwardly turned flanges 39, but these flanges are spaced apart so that the panel IB is adapted to fit between them as shown in Fig. 2. Preferably, the ilanges 30 are extended substantially beyond the inner edges of the flanges 29 and their marginal edge portionsare` bent inwardly to form vertical guides 3| for the panel |6. In practice, it has been found desirable to space the guides 3| from the inner edges of the anges 29 so as to enable them to hold the panel IB relatively close to the retaining lianges While permitting edgewise sliding movement of the panel.

A spacing member 33, herein shown as comprisin-g a generally U-shaped member bent into rectangular configuration and fitted into the frame structure between the guides 3| and the outer panel I5 serves to hold the latter tightly against the retaining flange 28 of the front frame member 5. Rearwardly projecting lugs 36 struck out from the lower lledge of the spacing member operate to hold the inner panel I6 tightly against the lower retaining flange 29 of the frame member 6.

As explained heretofore, the top member 2| of the glass supporting shell is formed so that it does not extend over the upper edge of the inner glass Apanel IB, the memberbeing eut oi in this instance substantially flush with' the inner edge of the spacing member 33. Byreason of the clearance thus provided, the panel IB may be shifted upwardly into the space between the frame member 6 and the reinforcing member 9 to clear retaining ange 29 at the lower edge of the window opening. As the 'panel I6 is fitted between the side flanges 30 yof the window opening, it can then be tilted outwardly as shown in the broken lines in Fig. 1 and disengaged from the upper retaining flange 29 by a downward shifting movement. When thus removed, the inner panel I6 can be easily cleaned and, moreover, the inner surface of the panel l5 is exposed for convenient cleaning.

Replacement of the inner panel I6 in the door Y structure is equally simple. For this purpose, the

panel is held in an inclined position while the upper edge is inserted under the upper retaining -flange 29 of the framemember 6. The panel may then be lifted sufficiently Yto clear the lower edge ofthe window opening and swung into engagement with the guides 3| whereupon it will drop into engagement withA the lower retaining fiange =2 9 npOnreleaSe. 1

It .will be apparent from the foregoingathat the invention providesa double glazed oven door of improved constructionV which greatly facilitates'lthe cleaning of the innersurfaces of the window panels. The door structure embodies novel retaining ,means for holding the window panels in' assembled relation in, the door structure which eifectually seals the. interior of thedoor, yet permits the inner panel to be removed withoutlreq'uiring disassembly .of the door or the use ofV any'tools whatever. Removal of the inner "panel provides convenient 'access to the outer panel for cleaning purposes and the inner panel of course is readily Acleaned while removed from the door.

I claim as my invention:

A1. In an oven door'structurefin combination, inner vand outer frame members secured. together in spaced relation, each of said members having awindow opening, inner and outer glass panels closing saidV window openings, an inturned flange formed on said outer memberengageable with the marginal edge portion of said outer panel, outturned flanges on said inner member engageable with the upper and lower edge portions of said inner panel, a panel engaging shell disposed between said frame members operative toV hold said panels in registration with the window open- `Vings, 'anda' spacing member-interposed between said panelsV for holding them in engagement with said shell being spaced from saidinner frame member adjacent the upper edge of the window opening to'permit said inner panel to be shifted lupwardly out of engagement with the flange at the lower edge of the window opening for removal from the door structure.

2. In an oven door structure, in combination, a rigid frame having a generally rectangular window opening, a pair of rectangular glass panels for closing said window opening, means interposed between said panels for holding them in xed spaced relation, retaining means on said frame engageable with the outer face of one of said panels along all four marginal edges for holding it in permanently assembled relation in the door structure, and other retaining means on said frame engageable with the outer face of the other of said panels along only its upper and lower edges to removably hold the panel in assembled relation in .the door structure, said other Ipanel ,being disengageable from said retaining means at its lower edge by edgewise movement of the panel and being dimensioned to permit it to be withdrawn outwardly through the plane of the window opening.

3. In an oven door structure, in combination, an outer member having a generally rectangular window opening, an inner member spaced from and secured to said outer member, said inner member having a generally rectangular window opening aligned with the opening in saidouter member, inner and outer glass panels adapted to close said window openings, thewindow opening in said outer member being dimensioned to overlap all four edges of said outer panel while the window opening in said inner member is dimensioned to overlap only the upper and lower edges of said inner panel, a shell supported between said members operative to hold said panels in registration with the respective openings, said shell being formed to permit upward movement of said inner panel to clear the lower edge of the opening in said inner member whereby the panel may be tilted rearwardly for removal from the window structure.

4. In an oven door structure, in combination, an outer member having a generally rectangular window opening, retaining means formed on said member extending entirely around said opening, an inner member spaced from and secured. to said outer member, said inner member having a generally rectangular opening aligned with the opening in said outer member, retaining means formed on said inner member adjacent two opposite edges of said opening, rectangular glass panels adapted to be supported between said members to close the respective openings, a supporting shell operative to hold one of `said panels in a position to be engaged at all four edges by the retaining means of said outer member and to hold the other'panel in a position to be engaged at opposite edges by the retaining means of said inner member, said shell being formed to permit edgewise sliding movement of said inner panel to disengage the lower edge thereof from the associated retaining means, the opening in said inner member being slightly wider than said inner panel to permit the panel to be shifted edgewise in the opposite direction while tilted outwardly to disengage the panel from the other retaining means.

5. In an oven door structure, in combination, inner and outer frame members secured together in spaced relation, a stiffening member disposed between said inner andV outer members and rigidly secured to one ofthe members, each 'of said members having Ya window opening, inner and outer glass panels'closing said window open* ings, a flange formed on said stiiening member Vat the lower edge of thev window opening for supporting said panels, and a second flange formed on said Ystiffeni'ng member at the upper edge of the window opening engageable with said outer panel to hold the same in xed position in the door structure, `said second flange being spaced from said innerframe member to provide a lgap/into which said inner panel may be shifted for removal from the door structure.

El. In an oven door structure, in combination,

a rigid-frame having va generally rectangular window opening, rectangular inner and outer glass panels closingv said window opening, `retaining meansV on said frame engageable'with all four marginal edge portions of one of saidpanels tohold the panel in assembled relation in the door structure, otherretaining means 4engageable only with the upper and lower marginal edge portions of the other of said panels, said other panel being disengageable from said other retaining means by a combinationv of edgewise and tilting movements whereby the panel may be removed from the door structure.

7. In an oven door structureyin combination, a rigid frame having a generally rectangular window opening/inner and outer glass panels closing said window opening, means'or retaining one of said panels in permanently assembled relation in the door structure, other means'for removably retainingv the other of said panels in assembled relation in the door structure, said other retaining means including retaining mem-- bers engageable with the exposed face of said other panel adjacent two opposite sideledges, and guide members engageable with the opposite face of said other panel adjacent-the other two side edges, said other panel being disengageable from one of said retaining members by edgewise sliding movement in one direction along said guide members and from the other of said retaining members by edgewise sliding movement in the other direction while tilted at an angle to said guide members.

8. In an oven door structure, in combination, a rigid frame comprising inner and outer sheet metal members each having a generally rectangular window opening, inner and outer glass panels closing said openings, forwardly projecting flanges extending along the upper and lower edges of the opening in said inner member engageable with the upper and lower edges of said inner panel to retain the same in place in the door structure, and iianges along the side edges of the window opening in said inner member projecting forwardly and inwardly to form guides engageable with the side edges of said inner panel, said panel being slidable along said guides to effect disengagement of the same from said upper and lower edge engaging flanges.

9. In an oven door structure, in combination, an outer frame member having a generally rectangular window opening, an inner frame member sp-aced from and rigidly secured to said outer member, said inner member having a generally rectangular window vopening aligned with the opening in said outer member, a pair of glass panels supported adjacent the inner sides of said members for closing said openings, a generally cross section loosely fitted between said panels,

and outwardly projecting lugs formed along one edge of said spacingmember engageable by one of said panels to hold the panel in tight engagement with its associated frame member.

10. In an oven door structure, in combination, I

and engageable with the top edge of saidv c uter panel, said top member having its inner Vedge spaced from the plane of said inner panel to permit edgewse movement of the panel for removal from the door structure.

f 1l. In an oven door structure, in combination, a rigid frame having a generally. rectangular window opening, inner and outer glass panels closing said-opening, retaining means on said frame engageable with the outer face of one of said panels along all four marginal edges thereof, a spacing member disposed `between said panels and engageable with their inner faces along all four marginal edges, said spacing member acting to hold said one panel in permanently assembled relation in the door structure, and other retaining means engageable with the outer face of said other panel only along its upper and lower marginal edges to hold it against said spacing member, said other panel being disengageable from the retaining means at its lower marginal edge by edgewise sliding movement and being dimensioned transversely 1 to permit withdrawal outwardly through-the plane of the window opening. 12. In an oven door structure, in combination, an outer member having a generally rectangular window opening, an inner member spaced from andrigidly securedjto said outer member, said `inner member having argenerally rectangular window opening alined with the'opening inHsaid outermember, inner and outer lglass panels clos- Ving saidwindow openings, the window opening in Ymeans interposed between said panels for holding them in engagement with the overlapping edges -oi the associated members, said retaining means being formed to permit upward edgewise movement and inward tilting movement of said inner panel toidisengage it from the door structure.

13. In an oven door structure, in combination, an outer member having a generally rectangular window opening, an inner member spaced from and rigidly secured to said outer member, said inner member having a generally rectangular window opening alined with the opening in said outer member, inner and outer glass panels closing said window openings, the window opening in said outer member being dimensioned to overlap all four edges of said outer panel while the window opening in said inner member is dimensioned toV overlap only the upper and lower edges of said `inner panel, and a reinforcing member disposed between said inner and outer members and permanently secured to one of lthe members, said reinforcing member having retaining elements .zY engageable with the edges of said panels to hold the panels in registration with the respective window openings, one of said elements being formed to permit upward edgewise movement and inward tilting movement of said inner panel to disengage the panel from the door structure.

EARL D. HILLEBRAND. 

